OK, I'm not a prolific poster - more of a lurker in search of the esoteric solutions to the problems not covered by Mr Haynes (let's face it the Haynes manual, Octavia MkI for the maintenance of, isn't exactly brilliant). Not to mention avoiding the stealers hijacked prices.

Currently the owner of a black '02 vRS, having had two previously as company cars. As this one is mine, it's been tweaked to 220+ bhp with a Miltek exhaust.

Each of the previous ones safely made it round Europe on 2500 and 3000 mile trips - I much prefer the roads and driving in general there than in the UK, Especially Germany...

I'm prompted to write because I, like so many others before me, have the nearside swimming pool syndrome a la Octavia. This first manifested itself when I changed the head and CD changer (Sony MP3 capable and 10 CD MP3 changer). Discovered a lot of water in the well [sic] underneath the changer when pulling the boot trim out to do wiring and brackets. This was apparently coming down the inside of the rear pillar, and I now believe it to be purely from condensation.

The next clue was the newspaper that got dropped behind the passenger seat turning into a papier mache floormat by the time I got home from the newsagent.

Yes, H2O in substantial quantities sloshing about at carpet surface level, back and front passenger side. Mopped, soaked, hairdryer dried, fan heater assisted to no avail, the carpet remained wet. Press down and get a soggy handprint in it as well as a wet hand.

I've read all there is to read on the subject hereabouts, so on Saturday I removed the carpet and soundproofing. All seats first, all relevant door trim, then the centre console. I had to cut the carpet behind the central vent right at the front - this to avoid removing more parts, and it won't be visible anyway when put back in. Same thing for the soundproofing/underlay. Others have noted that the carpet is thicker in the front or back. The carpet is actually the same thickness, it's the underlay which differs. Although it looks the same, the front is much denser than the back. Nevertheless the water retention properties of both are phenomenal; after a day in the sun and wind, followed by several hours against radiators and more fan heater and hairdryer treatment the wetness remained. Only after two days of being indoors has it all dried out. Apparently, anyway. The underlay has been stood on edge in the bath mostly, only gravity seems able to extract the moisture successfully. I'll still give it more heat treatment to be thorough, and it's not going back in until I've cured the leaks anyway.

So I put the drivers seat back in and I'm now driving round in what feels like a stock car, looking for the telltale rivulets making their way to the back of the car (the floor does indeed slope significantly to the rear). There are some sneaky little ways it can get there too, under the stuck on anti vibration pads for instance.

So, light and weather permitting, this weekend will see investigation and hopefully resolution of the known water ingress methods.

Having read other threads in the same vein (carpets, trim, headliner etc.) I might be tempted to go for the darker anthracite carpet while I'm at it. I already have the darker headliner and it's a vast improvement to my mind. Both my previous '02 and '05 had light ones. I already have black mats in the front, as the original ones are showing some wear and tear. One thing which I added to my original vRS, and have transplanted into the other two, is a genuine Octavia armrest.

While the carpets and trim are out I'm checking and adding wiring as needed for various things. The biggie that annoys me most is the necessity for an extension cable plus the proper adapter to connect the tomtom go for power. I like it on the right, next to that little plastic ticket holder (top marks to the person that invented that!) so wires trail across, down and along to the cig lighter (sorry, power outlet) between the seats. I'm going to move that into the 'ashtray' and install the tomtom cable out of sight.

I've also installed a Nokia bluetooth carkit - including hiding the mike in that little grille next to the lights - but it's currently not in use as I can't run the speaker through the Sony head unit as I did through the original Grundig. I'll have to have a separate speaker and see if I can mute the Sony. More fun but it can wait till the weather improves.

Thanks for reading!

Nice post mate!

Good luck with the leaks and keep us up to date.

Interesting stuff. Hope all goes well

Good Read.

OK, I'm not a prolific poster - more of a lurker in search of the esoteric solutions to the problems not covered by Mr Haynes (let's face it the Haynes manual, Octavia MkI for the maintenance of, isn't exactly brilliant). Not to mention avoiding the stealers hijacked prices.

You mean such leaps of logic as "you have to remove the headliner in order to remove the sunroof rails, therefore you won't want to know where the sunroof drains are"?

As a new comer going looking for a vRS in a month or two, two things struck me reading that post:

1. Are all the carpets in vRS's's's's white?

2. Do all or just some vRS's's's's suffer from 'water park syndrome'?

Well written post too!!!

As a new comer going looking for a vRS in a month or two, two things struck me reading that post:

1. Are all the carpets in vRS's's's's white?

2. Do all or just some vRS's's's's suffer from 'water park syndrome'?

Well written post too!!!

1. Yep

2. Bone dry here

My '02 vRS is also dry...after reading this I've just been out to check the carpets thoroughly.

The only little annoyance I've found is when the car is wet, upon opening the tailgate a LOT of water finds its way into the car (and all over my new speakers - which can't be good....)

Is this 'normal'....?

Dripping hatch is a design classic! Otherwise apart from damp seat belts no leaks

Had my 03 Vrs for nearly 3 years now and no water leakage problems at all, (apart from the common prob of water running off the hatch when it's been raining, all over the rear speakers), front ARB bushes are starting to make a racket over bumps (squeak, squeak,) £8.88 from a dealer. Still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it!

My '02 vRS is also dry...after reading this I've just been out to check the carpets thoroughly.

The only little annoyance I've found is when the car is wet, upon opening the tailgate a LOT of water finds its way into the car (and all over my new speakers - which can't be good....)

Is this 'normal'....?

Pain in the *** isnt it. Worse especially when you start polishing and waxing as the water beads up even more :thumbdwn:

No problem here, but it is a cmombi.

I don't have wet carpets (03 vRS) but I do(did?!) have a slight leak in the boot from the rear cluster.

Condensation has improved dramatically recently so either weather conditions haven't been right for optimum misting, or i've solved it somewhat - time will tell!

And yes, all vRSs have white carpets :(

02 VRS, Bone dry.... so far

yup mine's bone dry. Check that the rear wash wipe washer hasn't come loose or spilt. That is a common source for leaks in the mkiv golf, which the octy share's many of it's parts with.

nice long post! Do you have a sunroof in your octy or not?

I find that if I park on the flat the rear passenger footwell becomes a swimming pool, but parking slightly nose down, then the car remains dry. I am assuming maybe the rear drains on the sunroof, or a door seal/membrane, but not had the time to investigate it any more than that yet.

UPDATE

Depending where you live, you'll have noticed a varying amount of snow last night. There was an inch here so a quick squeegee of the windows and off to work this morning. Melting snow has proven instrumental in establishing two main points of entry.

Firstly a puddle under the glove box - this was expected as I believe the usual suspect of the pollen filter area is to blame.

Secondly, and unexpectedly, a puddle by the door, increasing rapidly from a steady trickle from the inside bottom of the rubber door seal. So I pulled it off all the way up to the top where I found water behind the plastic windscreen pillar and the corner of the headliner also wet. So there's a leak at the top corner of the windscreen somewhere. Interestingly I had a new windscreen not too long ago as a stone hit the very edge and it cracked immediately.

I don't have a sunroof; I had one in the '05 vRS I had last year though. But I never had any leaks in either of my previous cars.

As I don't have the daylight time (until the weekend) or the garage space, and the weather is too inclement anyway, I'm merely mopping up daily when necessary, replacing the towels currently used instead of the carpet. Plus driving with the temperature on max and pointed downwards!

The carpet and soundproof are finally dry. It took several days indoors for them to dry completely. OK it was a pain to remove them, about three hours total although I think it would be quicker if I had to do it again, but I think it's the only way to sort this properly. Unless it's the middle of summer and very very hot, but even then I don't think it would all evaporate. The density of the soundproofing is like limestone and draining is the only way to get all the water out.

Incidentally the tomtom Go died this morning. When I took it in to PC World they informed me that the hard disk was stuffed and they would have to send it off for repair. In the meantime they 'sold' me a tomtom one (previously owned) for £99 with the guarantee I could have a full refund when my 910 was returned. Top marks to them for that, I was expecting to have to buy one of those old paper things, can't quite remember what it was called; a road atlas or something?

Thanks for the support, I'll let you know what I find at the weekend.

BTW, wuozopo was my first Octy vRS - WU 02 OPO. Anyone seen her around?

I have a small continuing puddle behind the passenger front seat. It seems to be apearing by the seat rail (bit that joins the seat to the floor).

Doesn't seem to be coming from the rear door seals which is odd and infact i have no idea where its coming from. all other parts of the carpet are fine

Got a sunroof Gorsey? If so, maybe one of the rear drains, which seem likely to drop down the C pillars.

No it's a VRS. Odd as the side of the carpet is not. Could be the rear wiper water jet. But I avaoid using it and it still gets wetter.

looks like the only option is to take up the carpet :(

Are you sure it's not coming from the front? The floor slopes quite a lot towards the back and a small trickle might not show in the front but when it builds up in the back it does. And the soundproofing is really thick which might hide it too.

This is where I was and why I decided to get the carpet out. If the carpet is wet then the soundproofing is sure to be soaked and like I said previously, it's hard to get rid of it from that.

I was quoted £125 inc. vat for the anthracite carpet from my local dealer. He looked up the Ambient codes because he said the vRS is based on it. ?

Anyway it'll be in by Wednesday. Hope to get all the leaks fixed this weekend!

At a guess, he means that, other than seats and steering wheel, the vRS uses the same interior trim spec as the Ambiente? We all know the engine, box and suspension are different!

I have now purchased the anthracite carpet for £121. The lighter vRS carpet is a lot more expensive (£200+) but it is twice as thick...

I still haven't fitted the carpet because I haven't solved all the water ingress problems yet: the tail light cluster on the passenger side and somewhere down the hatch seal are still letting in rainwater so I'm not risking mould on new carpet and trim.

I'm also moving the cig lighter to the front 'ashtray'. Not difficult as the wire will easily reach. Just need a blanking plate for the original hole to finish that off.

How have you come on with curing your leaks?

I have an 04 Octavia and since christmas i've noticed the boot is leaking in somewhere. Had it back to the dealers as its still under warrenty, for them to cure it.

Went to collect it today, to be presented with this.............................

Photo is of when the rear hatch is open, up at the top corner near to the hinges for the hatch.

As you can imagine, i wasn't best pleased. I was livid when i saw it, my temper was rising as the salesman could sense and he just said it was nothing to do with him, he would get the service manager to call me tomorrow(today).

I am still awaiting a phone call off them to say it was ready to collect, they had three phone numbers to contact either my wife or me and they never tried one of them! This is from a dealer who tells me they are going for dealership of the year.

Is it possible the water is coming in through the roof, where the black plastic trim runs the length of the roof, reading above it sounds a possibility, also sounds like the roof lining is to come out to be able to cure it.

The car is parked on a hill most of the time, pointing uphill.

Cheers lads (and lasses)

Hope i get it cured before my Blue vRS Fabia arrives. (from a different dealer) i hasten to add!!!!!!!